The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-10-13

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rades would turn out and carouse in
company. And this time they had made
glorious night of it. He and the rest
of them were very drunk and conse-
quently very happy. From store to
store from house to house, up and
down all the streets they went, rapping
up the inmates, compelling tho master
of the house to treat and join them. 1t
was rare fun. Passing the premises OF
Mexican monte dealer, Joe Cannon
kicked at the door. As he was not in a
condition to stand steadily on one foot,
he gave it little harder blow than was
necessary; for the door was secured
only by leather hinges and it fell in. At
least the boys told him so next morning
that he had kicked in the Mexican
door. That was all right, said Joe. He
knew the monte dealer we'll, and had
often bet an ounce or two in passing his
table; the damage could not be great;
he would go round after breakfast, pay
for it, and apologize. True,
there was the wife; she
perhaps might not appreciate the foreign
patriotism which disturbed her rest
but she was bashful, retiring little
thing and no one thought of her. Ap'
preaching the house, Joe found the door
still down. The Mexican was within;
placing hand on either door-post to
steady himself, for his head seemed as
big as a barrel and his legs were little
shaky, he began to talk to the man in
broken Spanish, as best he could. Sud-
denly from corner where she had lain
concealed the little woman sprang up
and quick as flash threw herself upon
the strong mans breast and buried her
knife in his bosom. 1t was all done in
an instant, and he who had come to
make reparation for trivial injury COM
mitted in a moment of music, he, the
image of physical perfection and the
pride of the camp, lay as dead Why
did she do it2 Did this man visit her
house to insult herr Had they met at
any time, and was there ill-will existing
on either sidc2 No one knew. All those
miners knew or cared to know was that
it was a monstrous punishment for so
slight thing.
And now, when the enraged miners,
with blow of tho fist, burst in her
door and stood before her, Juanita mani
tested not the slightest fear; and yet
she knew she must die. 1t was not def
ancc nor brazen impudence; she assumed
no character; she acted only on the
primary impulse of her nature, and that
was stoical submission to inexorable fate.
She knew that she must die, and that
was the end of it. Within range of a
pistol shot were 2, 900 men, every one of
whom harbored at that moment deter
mined purpose sufficient to insure her
death, and she knew it; the very GER
tainty of the result seemed to destroy
the sting of death. Hastily putting in
place some scattered articles and glanc-
ing carefully at her dress-shc was al
ready attircd in her best--she signified
her readiness 10 go. The blaze of angry
eyes and the frownlng faces were all lost
on her; she was thinking of her own af-
fairs, thinking how she should send
something to her friends; thinking about
her household, and how her husband
would do in her absence.
A large pavilion that had been erected
for the celebration ceremonies OF the
day before still stood near the centre of
the town; there was a raised platform
with chairs and table, making it just
the place for the occasion, and there the
dark-cycd, bashful little murdcress was
conducted by her guard of 1000.
Twelve men eagerly responded to the
call for a jury; happy he who could
have part in this gentle strangulation.
Glancing at each other and at the min
ers around them, they seemed to say:
"All is safe and settled; woman or no
woman, she hangs" Lawyers for the
defense were backward in presenting
themselves, but there were twenty for
the prosecution. Probably in the his
tory of mobs there was never form of
trial more farcical than this. Had they
hanged the woman Immediately, our re.
spect would be greater than when we
see criminal so absolutely and univer-
sally prejudiced and sentenced be-
fore trial. 1t was wholly unlike the
procedure of the customary popular
tribunal. 1t seemed that on the
instant the miners had not only thrown
aside their usual chivalrous alteration
of sex, but that now they would
wreak their relentless wrath upon the
object of their adherence with all tht
force they possessed. That there was Sc
little of this woman to pulverize an6
scatter seemed to exasperate them A
humane physician mounted the stand
and testified that she was not in a fl
condition to be hanged. What sucf
testimony had to do with the case no
body knew or cared. A howl of disap
proval followed; the good doctor wa
driven from the stand, driven from th'
town, and dared not return or show
himself for several days. As there wa
not a lawyer who had the courage to de
fend her, gentleman attempted {
speech in behalf of the prisoner, but h
was beaten off the platform, kicked
from the tribunal, and kicked along th,
, passage-way that opened through tn
dense crowd without until he reached
the limits OF the town and was glad Il
escape across the river with his hat anC